The ActiveRain Stuff You Won't Find Anywhere Else on the Web

The ActiveRain Manual - NEW & IMPROVED

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:00:22 -0600

The ActiveRain Manual - NEW & IMPROVED

When I started creating the first AR Manual, it was so that I could find posts I'd written to share with others I had invited, those new to AR, or anyone who just wanted to know more specifics about how to use different areas and tools offered by AR. Creating a "manual" back then was more for my own use than anything else. It was an easy way to keep organized and find posts quickly.

3 Years later, the AR manual has evolved into a resource library that now anyone can use. The OLD version, (on the left) was not something I was really proud of, but it served its purpose for the time being.

Today, I'm announcing The NEW ActiveRainManual.com. Tons of tutorials, tips and how-to's.

Both of these manuals were built using WIX. I really like their site and how easy it is to create and update content. For the new manual, WIX stepped up and offered to help out. The goal was to create a site that would be cleaner, more organized and professional, easier to search, and that would save members time. WIX provided the platform and the tools, and Kris Fitzgerald helped me design and set it all up.

These guys were awesome, very professional, really fun to work with, and I endorse them 100%.

WIX sites are FREE, their templates are flashy, professional, easy to work with, and their customer service is exceptional. Check out the new AR Manual, (I upgraded the my account on WIX to remove the ads and use my own domain) hopefully this will be helpful to AR members. WIX also added an ActiveRain Promo for AR members only, you can get the same discount and support they gave me. Most of all, I think you'll like the new manual over the old one, I've upgraded it, removed a lot of the clutter, and cleaned the place up nice for you. Take a peek...

Ross & Brandon from WIX, and Kris and I are pretty excited and proud of the new AR manual. Enjoy!

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RainCamp Las Vegas - A Gamble Worth Taking

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:47:15 -0600

RainCamp Las Vegas - The Highest "Payout" Odds in Nevada!

RainCamp™ Las Vegas is confirmed for April 1st, 2010. This is NOT an April Fool, but it is a great opportunity to get away for the weekend, enjoy mixing some business with pleasure, and be one of our guests in the Ballroom Theater at UNLV. What happens in Vegas, won't stay in Vegas this time, you'll be able to bring home what you learn, along with everything else that happens, and begin applying it immediately to your Social Media and Marketing Business Plan.

Lot's of our friends and members are coming this year to "soak" up the "rain" and they're coming from all over. Why? Because it's Vegas baby, and who'd want to miss out on that? Register for a seat, book your flight, get a room, bring your suitcase and Vegas dining attire, throw in your laptop, cellphone, some aspirin, and a couple extra bucks for site seeing and for some extra curricular activities, and COME ON DOWN!!!

We're going to make an entire weekend of fun out of it, throw in a RainCamp™, have an awesome AR Gathering after, and we want you ALL to come be part of it. We'd love to see all 175,000 members show up at this one. There's no good excuses, you deserve it, so come help us make this the Best ActiveRain Gathering of all time. It will be more fun than one person should be allowed to have, I promise! :-)

RainCamp™.com

What Is RainCamp™

RainCamp™ Reviews and Testimonials

DON'T GAMBLE MISSING THIS ONE - REGISTER RIGHT NOW!

Address: Student Union, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154
Maps: Student Union is building #31 on the Parking Map and #30 on the Campus Map.
Maps can be accessed on the UNLV website: http://maps.unlv.edu

I've heard "What Happens In Vegas...Stays on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and ActiveRain!" lol~

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Resources for ActiveRain Training and Support

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:06:17 -0600

Resources for ActiveRain Training and Support

Are you a new member on ActiveRain? Are you looking for the manual or guide? Do you have questions, feel lost or overwhelmed by all the cool stuff ActiveRain has to offer? Help is here, but do you know where to find it? Many of the questions, calls, emails, and tickets I receive always start off with, "How do I.....?"

Here are some of the best resources for ActiveRain training, coaching, and support.

Getting Started on ActiveRain - A post to help you get started
The "Getting Started" link located on the main ActiveRain Page

ActiveRain Training Webinars - Webinars for new members
Webinars held Tuesdays and Thursdays - Here's the Calendar

ActiveRain University & On-line Campus - "Live" support webinars.
Training, Q&A, Support, Presenters, Guest Speakers 3 X per week.

Real Estate RainCamps - "Live" Conference for Members and Non-Members
RainCamp.com teaches you more in a day than you could learn in a year

The Help/FAQ Group - Multitude of member contributed tutorials
Help/FAQ group provides members a place to share and learn

ActiveRain Newbies - A Group every new member should join
ActiveRain Newbies Group 9366 subscribers - 20,518 posts

The ActiveRain Guide - Blog featuring multi-authored Instructions
ActiveRainGuide.com culmination of members posts to support YOU

The "Search" Tool - Keyword or Phrase Search Tool for members
Searching ActiveRain couldn't be easier using the AR "Search"

ActiveRain Ambassadors - Local Ambassadors Reaching Out
Experienced members helping new and existing members

Member Services - The ActiveRain Team and Support Staff
These are the folks at ActiveRain keeping the heartbeat pumping

The ActiveRain Manual - Blog posts written for members needing help
This is an eBook I have been building since I joined ActiveRain back in 02/07

Technical Support - support@activerain.com

Now that you've seen all the places to learn and get support, are you still unsure where to start? Here's my suggestion. If I were brand new to ActiveRain, or had signed up a while back and were just returning, I would make it a point to at least visit each of the above links to become familiar with what help, support, and training is available here, then I would go sign up for one or two of Steven Graham's Training webinars.

For details on what's covered, here's a link.

We are constantly trying to improve and enhance the Network and Community. We will continue trying to provide you with the support and necessary tools and training to help you make the most and best use of your time here. If you are new to ActiveRain, we welcome you aboard. If you're a returning member and notice things look a bit different around here, then this post is for you too, and we welcome you back. I'm excited and looking forward to witnessing your growth and successes in the "Rain!"

The ABC's of ActiveRain

ActiveRain Blogging Can Deliver Excellent Feeds Google Harnesses. Individuals Journaling Knowledge, Literally Manifests Numerous Opportunities Producing Quality Results. So Try Utilizing Various Wisdoms, X-ert Yourself Zestfully! Wow, that was kinda fun! :-)

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The ActiveRain Point System

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:35:25 -0600

The ActiveRain Point System

ActiveRain awards members points based on participation and their individual involvement within the network and community. While there is a much more complicated and technical explanation of how the point system works, this post is to provide you a general overview of how points are earned and distributed that to ALL ActiveRain members.

ActiveRain points are earned based on a members individual activities and efforts. Points are accumulated over the duration of the Calendar week which "Starts Monday morning at 12:00am Central Time, and Ends Sunday night at 11:59pm Central Time."

The following are some ways you can earn points and move up the "Featured Member" ladder in your Local Area.

200 Points for each Blog Post
(Max 10 per Week) (50 Word Minimum Required)
25 Additional Points when Post is added to Channels with a Topic
400 Points for Featured Post on ActiveRain.com
(Excludes Posts Featured in ActiveRain Groups)
25 Points For Each Comment
(Max 10 Per Day) (Comments on Your Own Posts Excluded)
25 Points for Each Reblogged Post
(Max 10 Per Week - These do not Include Your Own Posts)
ActiveRain Profile Points
(Building Your AR Profile will Build points)
Received Comments on Blog Posts
(No Blog Post to exceed 475 pts.)
100 Points - Logging In To ActiveRain Each Day
(This applies 7 days a week)
250 Points When Someone Accepts Your AR Invitation
(Must Sign Up under Members Invite Code)
10% of Total Points Earned By New Members Invited By You
(IE: Invited Member Earns 1000 pts. - You Earn 100 Pts.)
ActiveRain and Member Approved Contests - Points Will Vary
(These show up as Bonus Points in your Point Summary)
Staff Awarded Bonus Points - These are issued by the AR staff
(Member Humanitarian, Paying It Forward, Helping Others etc.)

Weekly Point Scenario: The potential of points available per week, per member would be as follows: 1750 for max comments, 2000 for max Blog posts, 700 for logging in daily, 250 for adding to Channels/Topics, and 250 for max ReBlogged posts. The Weekly potential of points would be 4950 (this does not include featured posts, comments received, invitation and percentage points, contests, and staff awarded bonus points.)

Point Disclaimer: The Points System created by the ActiveRain Network was developed and implemented to motivate, inspire, and reward members for their participation and involvement within the community. These points are subject to change at the discretion of the ActiveRain Mgmt. Team, with or without cause, warning, or notice.

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In A Digital World, We're Now A Globally Connected Video Culture

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:45:50 -0600

No words needed here, this video speaks volumes....and to think it happened during our lifetime!

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How To Use Your AR "Settings" Page

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 00:38:00 -0500

Here is some information on "How To" use your Active Rain "My Settings" page. I have tried to make this as simple as possible, for you to get the most out of your Active Rain experience. To access your settings page, go to your "MY HOME" link at the top of the page next to the "Logout" option. Make sure you are logged into Active Rain before you try and modify your settings. Next, click on the "My Settings" link on the left hand side of the page just under the "My Ads" link. The rest is detailed below for your use. You might want to print these instructions so you won't have to go back and forth from this post and your "My Settings" page.

This is your Blog's Title. Be sure to give this some thought, it is the theme of your entire Blog. This is what will appear when anyone clicks on the "Blogs" link at the Top of Active Rains main homepage. You'll see this title under your Blog Subscriptions. You can use any Title you want for your Blog, I suggest make it interesting, and not just your name like "Brad's Blog" or "My Blog". Your Title will attract readers and your name in it will help search engines find YOU easier. You can always change it if you come up with a better idea later.

Your Blog Description. This is an important area of your "My Settings Page" and it has multiple uses and values. First, this is where you can add HTML code to your Blog. For example, I want to have the search engines come see my Blog every 7 days to check for new and fresh content.

A. Here's the code I added for that.
<meta NAME="robots" CONTENT="ALL"/><meta NAME="revisit-after" CONTENT="7 days"/><p>

B. I also use Google Analytics for tracking, so I added their HTML code as well.
<script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">_uacct = "UA-XXXXX2026093-1";urchinTracker();</script>
QUICK IMPORTANT TIP: Be sure to register your Blog or Site at Google Analytics to get your own code, the one above is a sample! This code once added, will not make anything appear on your profile or sidebar, it is a hidden code. All the reports and information gathered from your Blog have to be obtained from your Google/Analytics account at their website.

C. Add Meta Tags, or keywords for your Blog. I use the following for my Blog:
<meta name="keywords" content="Title, Escrow, Technology, Solano, Contra Costa, Title Insurance, Agent Assist, Target Marketing, Marketing, Blogging "/> Yours will obviously vary.

D. Lastly, this is the section where you add the HTML code for widgets, gadgets, graphics, on vacation messages etc, that you want to appear on your sidebar under your photo. There is an instructional page on "How To Add Widgets" to your sidebar in Active Rain. If you want your graphics and widgets to be centered, be sure to use <center> code at the beginning, and use </center> at the end of the code.

Here is your Blogs Description. (Text Only - NO HTML Allowed Here) This is where you should describe your Blog, it's content, and it's value to your readers, but remember this is your HUGE SEO opportunity. You are limited to 100 words, so be direct and focused with your description and keywords. FACT: This is the most overlooked area by new and existing AR members. Want maximum SEO (Search Engine Optimization? You need to read this!!! Trust Me!

Allow Non-Member comments. Be sure you have this box checked, otherwise readers who are not members of Active Rain will be unable to comment on your post. Unless all your posts on your Blog are (members only) I would make sure it's checked!

Sharing your comments. Your comments are already shared in the posts where you've made them. If you want other members and readers to access "All" your comments in one easy access location, you can check this box and allow them access. It's really a matter of preference.

General Settings. There is currently only "One" option under general settings. Let others know you are on-line or not! If you notice at the top of the page right now, you'll see "Members: 53,842 - 1,270 On-line Now" in the upper right hand corner. Out of 53,000 members, I have never seen more than 1600 members on-line at a time. If you click on the 1,270 On-line Now" about every 5 seconds, you'll notice that the numbers change, funny thing is, the numbers never add up. This is very interesting. Regardless, ONLY check this box if you want to be seen by others that you're on-line. Not sure why this is an option, who'd want to hide? :-)

Your Email Settings. This is a very important part of Active Rain and your settings page. You have to decide how you want your email notifications to work and be managed here. Do you want to get emailed every time someone adds you as an associate? What about the comments you'll receive on your Blog Posts? What about the groups you've joined, the founder or administrator can do mass emails to the group, do you want to be notified? There is even Manual Score Adjustments and Link Status notifications. This is really up to each members discretion. You can see, I like to be notified about anything that's going on with my Blog or posts! :-)

Your Referrals. Use the Active Rain Referral Exchange to find the best Real Estate Professional match for your clients. You can also use the associates that you have added to your personal network here. This is NOT for just advertising your listings. This area of Active Rain is for "REFERRALS ONLY!" Please review and follow the instructions when you click on this link.

My Comments. This is where you can go back and track every comment you have ever made on Active Rain. Maybe you commented on another members post, and then had a change of heart and wanted to modify or change it, but you can't remember where that particular post is. Use the "My Comments" link to go directly to any post you have made a comment on. Most members don't even know this is here.

Your Points Summary. This is a link to your total breakdown of points earned here on Active Rain. Every point you'll ever receive will be found here. It's a great tool to see your total points on Featured Posts, comments, regular points, inviting new members points and more. ONLY YOU can see the breakdown of individual points, keep in mind other members can see your over-all points breakdown. TIP: This page can tell a lot about you or other members. Take a look at it, or someone else's, you'll see what I mean! Are you about points or content? Do you comment as much as you receive? Where is your focus here on Active Rain? This link will tell!

Your Blog Statistics. How many comments do you receive? How many views do you get on your post? How many clicks are your posts getting? It's all here at this link. Another great feature of the Statistics link is that you can see every post you've ever submitted on one page! I like using this page to see what's hot and what's not! Using the statistics page will help you determine many things about your Blog and each of the post's you've written.

Your Active Rain Bookmarks. This is the link that will take you to ALL the posts you have book-marked here in Active Rain. We all get the comments from other members that say "I've Book-marked Your Post!" This is so you can refer back to them at a later time when posts get get moved down and buried into a members Blog. The sad thing is, just like "Toy Story" I'm not sure how many of us actually go back and utilize or read the posts we've book-marked. I have hundreds, and am guilty of neglecting them as I am sure you will too. :-)

Inviting Others. Use this link to send an invitation to someone who is NOT currently a member but that you'd like to invite. When you use this link to invite other Real Estate Professionals, you will be credited for their membership and get points for everything they do on Active Rain. You will get a percentage of their points on any activity they have while Blogging here. You also will get points just for them signing up from your invitation. You can also sent an Active Rain Invitation on your own, just be sure to use the proper link or graphic so you can get credit for inviting them.

Links To Active Rain. This link will give you options and graphics to place on other websites and Blogs. This allows you to promote your membership here and the network. You can use the HTML codes here to on outside websites and Blogs. You will receive "Bonus" points when you add these links to other Internet pages. Here is an example of some I have added to my Outside Blog at TechKnowBabble. I suggest doing this not for points, but to help promote our Real Estate Network Community to others!

Your Associates/Associations. Here are all the other members that have added "YOU" as an associate. When you add someone as an associate, don't forget to put a comment in the box at the bottom of the page. When someone adds you as an associate, this is privilege and an honor. Don't just add them without commenting, others want to read why you've added them, this adds credibility and helps them determine if they want to add them too. This in my opinion is one of the best tools on Active Rain. I use it as my Referral Network Resource and would truly refer business to those who I've added and who have added me.

The Final and MOST IMPORTANT TIP HERE: Don't forget to click on the link when you're done making your changes. Trust Me, we have all learned the hard way!! LOL!

Feel free to modify your settings now with the hopefully, a better understanding of what each of these areas and links provides. If you have any questions on how to do ANYTHING here on Active Rain, there are hundreds of instructional posts available, or you can ask right here, I will try to answer or find the answer to your questions or comments. I hope you'll find the same value and relationships that I have. There's nothing quite like being a member here at Active Rain.

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ActiveRain University Training & Support Classes

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:43:48 -0600

The ActiveRain University on-line Campus is one of the best ways to learn everything about the ActiveRain Community and the Social Media World. Every day, we are offering classes for our members and guests. It's not just for new "RainMakers" either, it's for you too. We've added intermediate and advanced classes and are having experienced members and outside experts come in to present, share, and show you their tips and secrets.

Each class is about one hour using our ActiveRain University (ARU) on-line platform so you can access these sessions from just about anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection. Every day we're offering sessions like: New Member training, Open Q&A Sessions, Guided Tours of the Community and more (listed below). A variety of classes are now available, you can pre-register on the ARU Calendar.

Announcing our NEXT class, you won't want to miss it, so come join us!

NEXT CLASS:

THURSDAY - March 11th, 2010
10:00 -11:00am (PST)

"7 Secrets To Facebook Page Success"

Mike Mueller knows Facebook Better Than the 400,000,000 existing users on the site!
Presented By: Mike Mueller

Future classes include: Intro to Blogging - Introduction to ActiveRain - ActiveRain Community Tour - Growing a Following - Zero to Page 1 on Google - Copyright & Plagiarism - Facebook for Business - Twitter for Business - LinkedIn for Business - Building Your Private Referral Network - Taking AR into the Real World - Adding AR to your Listing Presentation - Advanced SEO Tips & Techniques - Vendor Advertising on ActiveRain - On-line Marketing - Putting Your Business on Google - Meet The ActiveRain Team - Creating and Maximizing Outside Blogs - Lead Generation with Hit Router - The Power of AR Groups - Time Management & Blogging - Reaching Your Real Estate & Financial Goals - and more.

Visit the ActiveRain University Calendar for details and to register.

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An ActiveRain Conduit - Toolbar for Your WEB Browser

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:30:14 -0600

The ActiveRain Conduit - A Nifty Toolbar for Your Internet WEB Browser

This may be one of my coolest and greatest inventions EVER!! If you can believe that... lol~

ActiveRain members and even non-members should consider adding this toolbar to their Internet WEB Browsers. It will work with Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. The toolbar gives you easy and instant access to some of the most viewed pages and important helpful tools on ActiveRain. I think you'll find it to be a very useful tool. Here's some of the features and cool stuff it has:

The ActiveRain Real Estate Network Toolbar - Will help you "Stay Connected" easily and instantly.

Access ActiveRain.com with a single click
Pull-Down menu to select from ALL Industry Affiliates
Search the AR Network for members or any topic
One Click Access to Important Member "Must Read" info
HELP Menu for Manuals, Guides, Training & Support
Easy Access to AR Features from an RSS menu
Link to Search and Sort ALL ActiveRain Blog Posts
One-Click Access to the ActiveRain Staff and Team
Live Updates, Announcements & ActiveRain Broadcasts

You can easily download the toolbar for your specific browsers and remove it just as easily if needed. Take a moment to try it out, see some things you may not have known existed, and let me know what you think? Once you download the toolbar and add it to your browser, you'll see how easy it is. Most likely, your "wheels" will start spinning and you'll be wondering how you can create a "custom toolbar" for your Site, Services, Blog, or Clients Browsers? I'll show you how, and the best part is that it's easy and FREE!

I hope you'll check it out, I'm really excited about this one... :-)

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RainCamp Los Angeles - The Date and Venue Are Set

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:51:17 -0600

RainCamp Los Angeles - The Date and Venue Are Set

Many have been asking me when...When... WHEN is RainCamp coming to Southern California? We just received our confirmation so I'm typing this as fast as I can. Los Angeles it is - May 15th, 2010. Mark your calendars and register quickly, we only have about 300 seats open, and only 84 Platinum seats available with tables and power for your laptops. That is about 1/2 the size of an average RainCamp in a much bigger real estate market. The other auditorium seating will only have your laps available and no electrical power.

Download a Full Color Map.

RainCampLA will be hosted at Loyola Marymount University in the "Hilton 100" Room. - 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045. (310) 338-2700. Check out the new RainCamp.com, we have our schedule posted there and all the information you'll need for each and every RainCamp event!

We're really very excited to be coming to Los Angeles, we might have to stay a couple extra days just so we can meet up after with so many of our AR friends and family down there.

"I was lucky to attend the first RainCamp in Seattle. The investment of time and money has been well worth every penny and minute! I am a believer! As an attendee of the first RainCamp, I say "Save the date" and make time in your busy schedule!!! You will be astonished..."
Paul Henderson - Lacey, WA

Click on any venue below to Register for one or all RainCamp events!

"I have been to a slew of events that over-promised and under-delivered, often nothing more than expensive sales pitches from people who didn't even want to be in the field anymore. What impressed me was that Ben Kinney is simply sharing what he's actively doing. Very useful information all day!"
J Philip Faranda - Westchester County, NY

"I have received three phone calls in the last two days as A DIRECT RESULT of what I learned at RainCamp"
John Cannata - Dallas, TX

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The ActiveRain "HELP" Toolbar for Your Browser

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:43:28 -0600

The ActiveRain "HELP" Toolbar for Your Browser - was created to help members and non-members find important pieces of information in and around the network, and to give additional assistance to newer members who aren't sure where to look or find help in the ActiveRain Community. It's an additional "help" source available for you if needed.

In this post I'll breakdown each section of the toolbar and show how it might be helpful. The "Toolbar" is not just for AR members, it's also for anyone who wants to keep up with what's happening in the world of Real Estate on and through the AR Network. It works on Explorer, Firefox, and Safari browsers and it's FREE.

The first section of the toolbar allows you to access AR with a single click on the logo. Next to the logo is a pull-down menu where you can login to AR or Join. You can also search by member "category" which helps save time if you're looking for a specific type of Industry professional.

There are 28 Industry categories to choose from, this makes it quick and easy for members and consumers to access any category with the single "point and click" option.

The "Read" button IS for ActiveRain members and those interested in joining the network. Unlike most boring community guidelines and terms of service, ours is unique and is a "must read!"
Can you say Weltanschauung?

The "Help" button and pull-down menu gets you access to the ActiveRain Manual, The ActiveRain University, The ARU Training Calendar, the Help/FAQ Group on AR, Information about Real Estate RainCamps, and member contributed guides and how-to articles and posts. This is one of my favorite parts of the toolbar and may be the most useful part for members needing "help" and tutorials about ActiveRain.

The "Daily Drop" is for those who want to be kept informed via AR's Daily Newsletter. Click To Subscribe.

The "Featured" pull-down menu gives you "live" real-time access to what's "Featured" on ActiveRain right now. You can browse ALL featured posts right from the toolbar and do it from any website or page you're on. Whether you're a member of AR or not, this is a great tool to be kept informed of what's going on in and around Real Estate all over the Country and Canada. (Your neighborhood included)

The "Blogs" button is a direct link to ALL AR Blog posts which can be sorted using the built in ActiveRain sort options. This makes getting to the newest and freshest content fast and easy.

Many networks, blogging platforms, and social media sights make it difficult to try and reach staff members. With this button, the entire AR Team is only "one-click" away.

Member support on ActiveRain is something we take seriously and are very passionate about. Our members' satisfaction and our reputation have been built on how well we support our friends on AR. The "Support" button pull-down on the toolbar shows we listen to our members, and we care. You are literally one click away from contacting AR support, making suggestions, sending us your feedback and comments, and emailing us directly.

The "Message" button is for communicating important messages. This will ONLY be used to make important announcements. IE: New AR features, Upcoming special events, RainCamps, Trainings and Classes etc. The message board has its' own set of built in tools for users to manage and respond to incoming messages.

The "Facebook and Twitter buttons" give you direct access to ActiveRain's Facebook page and to our "live" Twitter stream. No need to even leave the toolbar to see our latest tweets, but to become a friend or fan on Facebook, you will need to click the Facebook Icon.

This covers most uses for the AR Help Toolbar. It is completely customizable for each user. You can remove/hide any of the above predefined components that you don't need or aren't using by selecting the "toolbar options" in the main menu and checking the box next to those items you'd like hidden. If space on your browser is an issue, there's a "shrink toolbar" option that will minimize the space used. I hope you'll find it to be a useful addition to your browser tools and an efficient source for interaction and help on ActiveRain.

Select your browser below and install the ActiveRain Help Toolbar.

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RainCamp Reviews & Testimonials

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:52:34 -0600

Having recently been to Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and now on our way to Dallas Texas, I wanted to share what others who have attended these RainCamps experienced, and are sharing with us. This Review and Testimonial Lens is starting to grow with some great testimonials and feedback. There's some new Blog posts, member comments, a few photos and video, and a "live" twitter feed. The RainCamp "cloud" is beginning to take form.

If you attended any of the RainCamps, or plan to this year, we'd love to get your feedback and add it to The RainCamp Page. We are all about making RainCamp "The BEST" it can be and are only able to do that with your help and support. Share with us what you liked best, and we'll make it even better. Based on many of the posts and comments, it looks like we're on the right track.

There's a feedback section available at the bottom of the page, just click the RainCamp button below.

Reviews HERE

If you have already written a post or review about RainCamp and would like it added, just leave me a link, I apologize if I may have missed it when putting this together. You can also just leave a review or comment here, and I'll take care of the rest. We'll be updating the page often with reviews and comments from each event going forward. Can't wait to see yours. :-)

So come experience "Rainergy" then share your thoughts and experience with us. We love hearing from you.

I've really enjoyed travelling around and meeting so many of you in person. I'm excited and looking forward to seeing and meeting many more of you at future RainCamps, especially this one coming up in Dallas, I get to wear my Cowboy Hat and Boots! (Big Smile)

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How To Get Your Blog Posts "Viral" Exposure on Twitter and Facebook

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:29:32 -0500

How To Get Your Blog Posts Viral Exposure on Twitter and Facebook

As important as Location, Location, Location is to Real Estate, so is the importance of Exposure, Exposure, Exposure to Bloggers. Some Bloggers offer their subscribers, readers, and visitors the ability to "share" their content with others via Twitter or Facebook. ActiveRain has the ReBlog Option, just like Wordpress and Blogger are doing now, but that only works for other AR members. Here's a way to help get your "Voice Heard" and your "Posts Seen" on two of the other Largest Social Networks in the World, and here's how others can help you do it.

"Tweets" and "ReTweets" are quite popular as is "Sharing on FaceBook." I've just discovered a way that you can now do both. I think you're going to like this. It's simple. Just create and add a "Tweet" button, or a custom "Share" graphic, then create a link to it just like you would any other photo or image. You can even use text with a hyper-link. Here's the secret: you just need to replace the "BOLD" URL below with your page that you want shared. You will need to keep the underlined portion of the code below for each button to work.

Tweet Code: http://twitter.com/home?status=http://PlaceYourPageURLHere

For A ReTweet Code: http://twitter.com/home?status=RT%20http://PutYourPageURLHere

Share on FaceBook Code:http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://AddYourPageURLHere

Now some of you may be thinking, why not just use the "Sharethis" or "AddThis" widget? Well you still can, and they do have more options, but the millions of Social Networking consumers out there are probably more use to seeing the Tweet, ReTweet, and Share on FaceBook buttons. Familairity may play more of a role here than we think. Not to mention, using this method is quick, easy, and only "one click" away from accomplishing the readers goal. To Share!

So starting right now, you can begin letting the 100 million members that logon to Facebook each day, and the 14,590,000 Twitter accounts (guesstimation) share your great content with others on Facebook and Twitter. Word of Caution: This will not work for "Members Only" and "Associates Only" posts on AR. It will work on any "Public" Blog, Post, or Website.

Taking the idea one step further. If you have an AR Outside Blog, make sure that the Link you provide to your "Tweet" and "Share on FaceBook" buttons go to the post on your AR Outside Blog and not to your Internal AR Blog. This will help increase exposure and traffic to your Outside Blogs. All your "outbound" links should always go to your Outside Blog posts. Getting SEO and traffic to your Blogs is a great thing, but letting others share, and making it easy for them may be just as powerful.

Now let's talk about the 35 million members on LinkedIn?!? :-O

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ActiveRain ReBlog Gets A FaceLift - Time To Incorporate It

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:04:42 -0500

I'll be the first to admit, I didn't really like the previous ReBlog graphic/icon as I felt it was too big. It moved my text around making my posts look funny, and it was completely useless for me as the author of my Blog. The value seemed to only be for the ReBlogger. I know there are still mixed opinions about "ReBlogging" and the value of it, so like "open houses" I'll let that controversy continue onward and upward, but not here.

You'll notice this morning that the ReBlog icon has in fact changed, and in my opinion, for the better. I can finally see who has been ReBlogging my posts. The best part is that now you can also Link to the ReBloggers post to see what they might have said about it, or others that may have commented. Think of all the comments you've been missing about your post that was ReBlogged! :-O

This is a great new feature and I really like the look of the "NEW" and "Improved" graphic.
(The AR Tech Team redeems themselves)

You can also ReBlog members posts to appear on your Outside ActiveBlogs. No other Network offers a tool like this, ActiveRain continues to be on the cutting edge of social networking and technology.

HOW TO USE THE REBLOG OPTION:

If it's green it's clean, but if it's Grey with green dots then you've been REBLOGGED!! To ReBlog another members post, just click on the ReBlog button. To view a ReBlogged post and the ReBloggers comments or additions, just click on the green dots below the button. (Just fyi...You cannot ReBlog your own posts) To add the ReBlog option to your Blog posts, when creating the post, just put a check mark in the box that says: then submit post.

HERE'S THE NEW REPORT YOU GET FROM YOUR REBLOGGED POSTS:

IMO - A ReBlogged Post is one of the finest compliments you can give another ActiveRain Member!

I never thought I'd say this, but now I don't mind going back to all my posts and adding the ReBlog option to every single one of them. Especially now that I can see who has ReBlogged me, and what they had to say. Now we can follow the chain and threads on our ReBlogged posts, and the new face-lifted graphic won't affect the layout or design of our posts. I personally like the change and want to thank our guys for listening to the community and for making it happen. Kudos Gents!! :-)

If there were one single Blog post on AR that should be Reblogged by every member here, I'd say it's:

this one!

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ActiveRain - The Very First Video Explaining the ActiveRain RE Network

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:17:11 -0600

Remember that question "What Is ActiveRain?" At some point, we all had it! Although not so popular any longer, this question was answered by the creators and founders of ActiveRain back in 2007. Not too much has changed since then... or has it? It was sure fun to find and watch this video again, I hope you'll Enjoy it too!

To play this video you need to install a more recent version of the Adobe Flash Player.

Yesteryear - we've sure come a long way....

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How To Get Started on ActiveRain

Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:08:36 -0600

How To Get Started on ActiveRain - A quick route to a successful Journey on ActiveRain.

The ActiveRain Staff, along with our members and ambassadors, wish to welcome you to the community. We know you have a choice, and we're glad you've chosen our network as a place to connect with others, support your local neighborhoods and communities, plus grow your business and relationships.

Before you begin your journey here, there's a few areas we invite you to navigate first. This will save you time and give you a better understanding of the Network. We're confident that our site will bring value, benefits, and substantial rewards to you and your business.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN
These are REQUIRED and a MUST READ for ALL New Members - NO EXCEPTIONS!

What We Stand For - Weltenschauung
Weltanschauung: The guiding principles and philosophy of an organization. A world view.

The ActiveRain Community Guidelines
Please take these rules seriously.

GETTING STARTED in 3 EASY STEPS
Follow these next steps to get setup on ActiveRain.

How To Setup Your ActiveRain Profile - Completely Customizable
Creating a personal profile is the very first step and the most important. It's ALL about you.

How To Complete Your Profile - Part II
Your profile has three areas that allow you maximize the page. Learn How to use these sections.

How To Use Your "My Settings" Page
Now you are ready to Customize your ActiveRain Settings.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF ACTIVERAIN
Social Networking, Connecting and Blogging

ActiveRain Member Success Stories
Read what other industry professionals and members have to share.
Here's A VIDEO version

Understanding ActiveRain Points
Learn about points and how they work on the network.

The RainMaker Membership
Becoming a RainMaker - The Value and The Benefit

READY TO MAKE LIGHTNING, THUNDER AND RAIN
Now that you're a member and RainMaker, put the power tools to work

Top 10 Tools for New Members and RainMakers
Take the time to review what this network has to offer.

ActiveRain Custom Outside Blogs
How To Create and Maximize Your Outside ActiveBlog.

The ActiveRain Starter Kit
Details about more ActiveRain Products, Tools, and Services.

OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES TO HELP YOU
Use these links to dive deeper in the "Rain" if you need more information

The ActiveRainGuide
A Tutorial Blog by Members for Members

The ActiveRain Staff Blog
The Official ActiveRain TEAM Blog

Help/FAQ Group
A network group created to help members

An ActiveRain eBook Tutorial
Find Almost Anything about ActiveRain here

ActiveRain University
Online Campus for Training and Support

Real Estate RainCamp
"Live" Local Conferences and Seminars

DID YOU KNOW?
ActiveRain is the TOP Real Estate Social Network in the World (source: Google)

The ActiveRain Network hosts over 170,000 RE Industry members averaging 200-300 new members daily. There are more than 1.5 million articles posted, with an average of 700-1000 new posts daily. Two million+ visitors traffic the ActiveRain network each month, over 80% are consumers. Only Rainmaker upgraded accounts receive Google trafﬁc to their blogs and posts. ActiveRain Member's Blog posts receive more than 500 views on average. Activerain is the ONLY on-line Network that offers this wide variety of tools, diverse services, and proven solutions to the Real Estate Industry Professional and for consumers on the WEB.

Best of Luck and Enjoy!

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